


Love Of These Humans

by Glitched_Fox



Series: 2017 BATIM Fics Upload [6]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Moana (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Mentioned/Referenced Amnesia, Moana AU, PTSD?, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-24 10:51:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14353959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glitched_Fox/pseuds/Glitched_Fox
Summary: Wally has been returned to normal, and the rest of the world along with him. Thomas has returned his people to their roots as wayfinders on the ocean. He and Grant are happy together (the latter also joyful that he’s being respected and not feared by everyone once more). Joey’s been exploring, returning often to catch up with the tribe and visit Henry. Everything is perfect and everyone is content. Well, almost everyone.OR: Thomas needs to make sure that EVERYONE gets a happy end. Including the people that almost killed him and Joey.---Part of the Moana AU by metamatronic on tumblr.(Originally posted on November 24, 2017 to the Optic Ink Discord.)





	Love Of These Humans

**Author's Note:**

> Moana AU again! I, uh... don't really have any extra comments on this one. I'm meh on it, both storywise and quality-wise. I do know that after this one, a fren of mine, Knight, took an angsty idea that wasn't really connected to this at all and ran with it, effectively creating a whole nother AU. So there's that.

“Thomas, I’m going to ask you one last time- please don’t do this.” Joey turned to look at Thomas, who had crossed his arms and was biting his lip stubbornly. Joey continued, “Don’t you remember what happened last time? Heck, you have the scars to show! It’s not worth it, I promise you. Those two are bad news.”

“Just open the gate, Joey,” Thomas said sternly.

“Okay, fine.” Joey kneeled, resting his hand on the symbols engraved in the rock face. “But I’m not going in with you.”

“Joey, please! I’ll make sure they won’t attack you. And if you get too uncomfortable, you can leave. Deal?”

Joey hesitated for the space of two heartbeats. “FINE.” He muttered something in an ancient language, causing the runes to glow and a large, circular hole to open up. He glanced at Thomas, who grinned, then ran towards it, catching Joey by the wrist just before he jumped. They fell together.

Thomas managed to not fall off the little cliffside this time, and he grinned proudly as he dusted himself off. He glanced back at Joey, who was glancing around nervously, then started off.

“Their cave is the other way,” Joey pointed out.

“I knew that!” Thomas spun around. Joey rolled his eyes, following.

Soon enough, they found themselves at the entrance to Norman and Sammy’s cave. Joey hung back nervously as Thomas peered around the corner.

Norman sat with his back against the cave wall, staring at nothing. Sammy was asleep, head resting on Norman’s leg. The pulsing colors on his bracelets were slow and relaxing. Thomas walked into full view of the cave. Norman blinked, golden eye focusing on him.

“Why did you come back?” Norman asked softly, so as to not disturb Sammy. “With him of all people, too.”

Joey only then stepped into view, standing defensively next to Thomas, holding his pen up. Thomas extended a hand, signaling for Joey to put his arm down.

“I want to help you,” Thomas replied in that same quiet voice. “He does too.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I actively want to assist the men who almost killed me twice, but-” he was cut off as Thomas elbowed him the ribs. He yelped slightly, rubbing his side.

Gently, Norman shook Sammy awake. “Wake up, love. We have some visitors.” The colors on his clothing changed their beat pattern, signifying the shift.

“Visitors?” Sammy asked blearily, sitting up and brushing hair out of his face.

“Thomas and Joey. I’m sure you remember them.”

Sammy jumped to his feet, growling. “How DARE you come back here!”

“Darling, they just want to talk.”

“Well, I don’t!” Sammy retorted. “So there!”

“Guys, please,” Thomas started, “I really don’t want to fight you. I forgive you for what you did.”

This actually caused Sammy to hesitate, looking back at Norman. Norman stood up, resting a hand on Sammy’s shoulder.

“Why would you ever forgive us?” Norman asked. “We’re not good people. We wanted that Heart as much as any of the monsters down here.

“Joey wanted the Heart too. In fact, he actually stole it. And now look at him.” Thomas glanced at his companion and grinned. “If he can change, I want to believe that you guys can too.”

Norman and Sammy looked at each other. Sammy unclenched his fist as Norman muttered something to him.

Thomas said, “Why’d you guys attack us in the first place?”

“I wanted revenge for Normy,” Sammy said simply. “Joey hurt him. And you, Thomas… You seemed to be working with Joey.”

“Well, when Joey first came down here, why’d you attack him?”

“They didn’t,” Joey said in realization. “I had dropped my pen and they had grabbed it, so I fought them instead of trying to ask for it.”

“See? Norman and Sammy’s anger had a perfectly good reason.” Thomas crossed his arms triumphantly. He turned back to the pair, offering out a hand. “Come with us, you two. We’ll take you back to the land of the living. Everyone deserves a second chance.”

Joey had filled Thomas in on how Norman and Sammy were placed in a situation where they both should’ve died. Sammy from hypothermia and Norman from being struck by lightning. But they had gotten a fate worse than death: being placed into a realm of monsters with no memories of what they did wrong or any idea on how to fix it, while everyone was suddenly scared of them and they literally only had each other.

Norman and Sammy made eye contact, having a silent conversation. Mutely, Norman stepped forward, taking Thomas’s hand. Thomas grinned, letting Norman’s hand drop out of his grip. As an afterthought, he looked at his palm.

“You didn’t burn me.”

“Everyone deserves a second chance, right?” Norman quoted. Thomas chuckled.

“So, uh, how’s this gonna work?” Sammy asked finally. “We can’t get out the way you guys do.”

Joey sighed. “I know a way. But you have to close your eyes and not watch and promise not to tell anyone, okay?” The other three glanced each other and shrugged, doing as he asked. 

About five minutes later, Joey told them to open their eyes. Now they were on the beach. How did that happen? Who knew. Well, Joey did, but that was beside the point. Norman and Sammy trailed behind Thomas as he led them to his boat, Joey shifting into Alice and flying ahead.

It had been before sunrise when Thomas went to offer Norman and Sammy a second chance, and it was sunset when he caught sight of the island where his people were currently staying.

He glanced back at his new companions, who were watching the sunset. They had been fascinated with nearly everything they saw on the journey.

“We’re here,” Thomas announced, stepping out into the shallow water. Grant appeared for the first time, hugging Thomas and glaring at Norman and Sammy over the human’s shoulder.

Thomas had a quick chat with the village, and they accepted the newcomers as two of their own. They didn’t point out how electricity ran down Norman’s arm sometimes, or how the water froze if Sammy touched it for too long. They didn’t mention the music they heard when they were on the same boat as the two, or the pair’s strange obsession with random shells.

They didn’t bring it up because there was no reason too.

And for the first time in basically ever, Norman and Sammy didn’t have to lie and cheat to get respect.

And for the first time in a long time, they were accepted.


End file.
